>>>I have a case where the sql to the backend returns a structure slightly different than what I want. What I want to do is alter the column(s) of the result set to the datatype that I want. I have one of several ways that I can do this: 1 - create the cursor structure I want and append the result set into that structure, 2 - open the dbf() again in new work area and close it in the first and then alter the structure, 3 - figure a way to set the read only attribute of the cursor to read-write and alter it. #1 is okay, except I want to be someone generic in what I am doing. #2 works but truncates long field names. #3 is what I want but I can't figure out how to do it with the cursor open and not running a dos attrib command. I know it sounds weird, but it does have its place. Any ideas?
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>>Only #1 will work with long field names. AFAIK, #3 cannot be done. Anyway even if it could be done ALTER command would truncate field names because it still a cursor.
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>Actually, I have figured a way to do #4 :), create a cursor on the fly and build it dynamically with the info from the selected cursor changing the field types I need to the types I want, appending the records and and the closing the initial cursor re-aliasing my new cursor and returning a cursor in the stead of the first one. Horrible for large data sets but a defendable workaround for smaller data sets.

I don't see how it's different from the #1.